All About Us
by ladyoftheLights
Summary: Lily Evans has yet another boyfriend and for the utterly head over heels James Potter, it's another rejection and another step backwards. This time, James takes it to heart and the only one who can cheer him up and stop his moping is Lily - and the only lesson James will ever learn from. Inspired by the beautiful song 'All About Us' by He is We. I hope you enjoy! :)


Nathan Harper slings the well toned arm of a Beater over the slender shoulders of Lily Evans. With his other hand, he gently tips up her porcelain chin, a kiss ready on her rose tinted lips. There is a sigh of admiration from Nathan's fangirls who look ready to weep at the perfect couple.

The sight of this makes James Potter feel sick to his stomach.

"Check it out, Prongs," Sirius Black, tactful as ever, gives his best friend a 'supportive' slap on the back. "Harper and Evans. Who knew, huh? Better luck next time, mate."

James makes a noise like an angry cat. "Seriously; she rejected me for _him_!? What does he have that I don't?"

"Lily Evans for a start," Sirius replies. James punches him. "Okay, okay, sorry." Sirius looks at the couple thoughtfully and munches on a Liquorice Wand. "Well he's charming; he's quiet and sensitive and he doesn't bask in the glory of his fangirls,"

"I can be charming!" James says indignantly.

His best friend snorts. "You have the charm of a dung beetle,"

"I can be quiet and sensitive," James continues.

"Yeah if someone whacks you round the head with a Quidditch bat, rendering you unconscious,"

"And I like to acknowledge my fangirls,"  
"Sure, if acknowledging means having slept with most of them,"

"You're really not helping, Padfoot," He says, glaring. Sirius grins and finishes his Liquorice Wand. "And I never slept with any of them," James adds with a dignified tone. Sirius rolls his eyes.

"I do not want to see Harper sucking Evans' face off," James says disgustedly as the couple begin to kiss each other slowly. Lily breaks off laughing, and her cheeks have flushed a pale pink at the attention her and the famous Nathan Harper are receiving.

"Then get the map and your cloak and let's go to Hogsmeade!"  
James wavers and runs a hand through his untameable dark hair. "I don't know …"

"Come on! We need to get you out of this place,"

"_Fine_," James gives in and the two of the leave the courtyard, Lily's careful green eyes follow the duo until they're out of sight.

"Lily?" Nathan reclaims her attention.  
"Sorry! I was miles away. What were you saying?" She says and Nathan huffs.

"Never mind," he says glumly.

"Nate!" She says and attempts to gain his forgiveness.

_This is ridiculous,_ Lily thinks with a mental roll of her eyes. _He so needs to man up_.

Nathan Harper is one of Hogwarts' most good looking and well known students; Ravenclaw head boy, Quidditch captain, Beater and top of most classes. And to top it all of, now he's gained the title of Lily Evans' boyfriend.

The more Lily thinks about it, the less she understands why she ever said yes to Nathan. Probably to piss James off and make him leave her alone for a month or so. The biggest problem with Nathan, for Lily, is his sensitivity. And what is with his constant gang of second year fangirls who look like the minute Lily is off the scene one of them can jump into her place?

"See you later, Nate," Lily says tiredly, giving Nathan a begrudging kiss on the cheek.  
"Where are you going?" He demands.

"The Gryffindor common room," Lily sighs. _Where you can't annoy me_, she adds in her head. "See you at dinner,"

As she walks away from Nathan and his posse, Lily scolds herself. Why on earth is she subjecting herself to his possessiveness and clinginess? Lily is too independent for this. She needs a challenge. And lets be honest; Nathan doesn't exactly let her do the chasing, nor does he set her world on fire.

Lily makes her way up to Gryffindor Tower, not feeling the best person. Nathan has annoyed her all day and she needs some time alone. Now this is more like it; Lily seats herself in her favourite spot on the squashy sofa in front of the fire. The common room is mostly empty; its lunchtime and a beautiful day – Lily enjoys the calmness of Gryffindor common room when it's like this; perfect for sorting out her head. She closes her eyes and leans back with a content sigh.

"Oh. Evans,"

She opens one eye.

"Potter." She replies coolly, watching the slightly rugged Quidditch player come down from his dorm, tucking what looks like a piece of parchment and a bit of fabric into his messenger bag.

"Sorry. Didn't see you there," James apologises and begins to leave.

Lily frowns. "James?" He turns around. "Why are you leaving? There's room for two on this sofa,"

He gives her a genuine smile, stripped of arrogance and showiness. "I was just getting something from my dorm," he says softly. Lily has never noticed how well he talks: his voice has a nice tone that does something funny to Lily's tummy.

"Are you coming to the meeting for all the head boys and girls later?" Lily asks, casually looping her curtain of long red hair up into a topknot.

"I have a detention, so no," he shrugs his shoulders.  
"James, are you OK?" Lily stands up and crosses over to him, looking closely into his face. "You seem defeated recently. And as much as I can't stand your arrogance, this isn't exactly ideal either."

_Oh Lily,_ James thinks sadly. _I wish this wasn't our last year together_.

"I'm fine," James tries for a cocky smile which doesn't reach his hazel eyes. "Have a good day, Evans,"

"You too, Potter," Lily answers. "Stay out of trouble!"

He tilts his head at her and winks with a boyish grin. "Can't promise that,"

James hears Lily _actually laughing _as he lopes out of the common room. Laughing at him! James grins triumphantly to himself.

_That smile can light up any bad day_.

James makes his way down the seventh floor corridor, through a secret passage that enters on the third floor. He sees Sirius leaning casually against the statue of the one eyed witch and greets his best friend.

"James, mate," Sirius says. "Please cheer up, you're bringing me down. Is this about Evans and Harper?"

James nods silently.

"Enlighten me, Prongs; why has this boyfriend ruffled your fur – pardon the slight pun – so much?" Sirius produces an apple from his pocket and begins to munch on it slowly and thoughtfully, watching James carefully.

"I don't know. I think I've just realised that after this year, she'll go her own way and I'll go mine. And we'll never see each other again." James says sadly. He raises his head and look Sirius in the eyes. "Padfoot, I think I'm in love with her."

_Smack_.

"Holy _shit_," James swears thickly, clutching the side of his face.

"Man up," Sirius tells him firmly, retracting his balled up fist. "I do it because I care,"

Rubbing his jaw, James sighs for the millionth time today. "I'm giving Hogsmeade a miss," he says. "Here," he flings his school bag with the map and the cloak inside it to Sirius who catches it with the reflexes of any good Keeper. "Bring me back something nice,"

"James –" Sirius starts, dejectedly.

"Later, Sirius," James calls over his shoulder, throwing his hands deep into his pockets and moodily making his way down the corridor.

_Man, that boy needs to get a grip_, Sirius thinks in annoyance as he taps the hump on the statue after checking that the coast is clear and slipping inside, throwing the cloak over his shoulders and making his way through the long, dark passageway that comes up underneath Honeydukes.

James wanders through the castle aimlessly, turning left and right and left again. He lost sense of where he was a while back and now not even the paintings on the wall or the statues looming in the hall give him a good landmark of where he is.

James turns off into a quiet and secluded courtyard. There's a memorial in the middle with three shallow steps leading up to it. Around the courtyard are old trees and creeping ivy wraps itself around the stone arches.

Seating himself gingerly on the edge of the second step, James puts his head in his hands, clutching at his dark hair with lean fingers. There's nothing to do to win Lily back. _Let's face it_, James thinks bitterly, _Nathan is a better man for Lily_. James runs through certain scenes over the past seven years of trying to win her over.

There was the time in their fourth year when James saw fit to steal Lily's bag for a day and then return it to her, hoping for a date or even just a kiss in return. Unfortunately for him, old Snivelly had overheard him and Sirius plotting it and had run off to Lily, telling her everything. By the time James had presented her with the bag that evening in the common room, Lily was in such a foul mood with both Severus and James that she didn't care about her books, and simply stamped hard on James' foot and stalked off to bed muttering under her breath. The next day, James had apologised by writing her a letter; which Lily threw in the fire along in annoyance.

What James doesn't know is that later that evening, Lily had felt so bad about it, she'd actually written her own apology letter, meaning to give it slip it into James' bag or give it to Sirius but had eventually conceded to burn it herself.

"I think you'll find, Potter," says an amused voice, breaking James out of his daydream. "That you're in my spot."

"What?" James says stupidly. Lily gives a tinkling laugh.

"I always come here when I need space," she explains. "James?" Lily prompts him.

Looking up into her worried green eyes, James roughly strikes away the lone tear on his cheek and clears his throat.

"Sorry, Lily," he says and attempts to meet her eyes and smile.

"James," she gives a laugh and he frowns. "Your hair is sticking up,"

"It always does," he sighs.

"No, I know it does," Lily smiles. "May I touch the sacred hair of James Potter to sort out the bird's nest it has become?"

James gives a real smile. "Be my guest," he says. Lily steps forth to him, his eyes level with her hips. Lily's long piano fingers begin to deftly ruffle and expertly smooth the hair that James has mussed up due to clutching at it. Feeling Lily's fingers in his hair makes James' scalp tingle and a shiver runs down his spine.

"There," Lily announces proudly.

"Thanks, Lil," James sighs and freezes. Their eyes lock. James never calls Lily by her nickname. It's always either 'Evans' or just plain 'Lily'.

"You're welcome," she whispers back.

"I'm sorry for how I'm being. Sirius is sick of me," James bursts and his face falls again. It breaks Lily's heart.

"Can you dance, James?" She asks softly and suddenly.

It takes him by surprise. "Can I … what?"

"Dance, James. Dance?" Lily repeats with a note of endearment and exasperation.

"No, of course I can't bloody dance," James is back on the alpha male wagon with an echo of his old arrogance. This familiar James she knows is back and it makes the corners of Lily's mouth lift.

"Take my hand," she laughs, holding out one pale arm, her fingers extended out to his. "I'll teach you to dance."

Warily, James intertwines his fingers with Lily's and allows himself to be pulled up by her. James towers a good few inches above Lily when stood up.

"Straight back, James," she orders and grins when he stands tall immediately. James would do anything for her; if Lily asked him to jump off a cliff he would do it without a second thought. "And chin up. OK, now step back with your left foot … good, together, to the side with your right foot, together … forward with your left, together … side with your left … turn …"

And as simply as that they're dancing together in the secluded courtyard. James is all too aware of his arm around Lily's waist, their bodies pressed together and how soft her hand feels in his. James feels like he's died and gone to heaven; and he doesn't even feel a shred of guilt for dancing with another man's girlfriend.

They both loose themselves in the moment for what seems like hours, and Lily looks up to see James looking down at her with a dreamy, soft look in his hazel eyes. And in spite of herself, Lily couldn't bring herself to tear her eyes away from his. James dares to lower his mouth down to her, slowly – giving her time to look down, or push him away completely. But Lily is only doing more to encourage him by closing her eyes.

James' mouth brushes hers, and Lily feels a shiver of electricity down her spine, but there's a corner of her mind screaming at her to stop; no matter how unhappy she is in her current relationship, there is never an excuse for kissing another boy. Lily kisses James with defiance and James thinks he might just collapse with happiness; nothing has ever felt as good as kissing Lily Evans does right now.

But Lily's had her moment of rebellion. Something inside her triggers a knee jerk reaction and her leg seems to kick out of its own accord straight to James' shin – hard and painfully.

"_Shit, Lily_," James' eyes water and the two break away. "What was that for?!" James yelps, looking at her manically.

"You kissed me!" She answers numbly.

"You didn't stop me!" James counters and looks to Lily for an explanation, but her head is turned from him in shame; her cheeks have gone bright red, but just as quickly they drain of colour.

Lily drags her fingers through her bright red hair and dithers on the spot. "I'll see you later, Potter." And with that's she's hurrying through the courtyard to the entrance back into the castle.

James stands, lost, in the courtyard alone. His lips still tingle with the taste and touch of Lily. He can't understand how two people can go from kissing one second, to 'see you later, Potter' just as suddenly.

Whatever solace and joy kissing her brought him, James is back to feeling as sick and empty as he had done earlier and there's nothing he can do. Remembering the pain in his throbbing leg, James sits back on the memorial steps and hitches up his trouser leg to reveal an impressive red bump. With a sigh, James gets back on his feet and drags his sorry self back to Gryffindor Tower, hoping that Lily hasn't had the same idea.

"Sirius," James drags his best friend into a corner of the common room.

"What is wrong with you?" Sirius demands as he looks into the face of his friend. "And where have you been?"

"Do you promise not to laugh?"

Sirius is so worried he does promise. James takes a deep breath. "Lily was teaching me how to dance –" Sirius snorts with laughter but when James shoots him a look, he hastily apologises. "And we kissed."

"Alright!" Sirius sounds thrilled at this news. "So why aren't you more happy?"

Reluctantly, James shows Sirius the now bruising mark on his shin. Sirius howls with laughter.

James tries to punch him, but it doesn't make any difference. "Oh mate," Sirius claps James on the shoulder with one hand, and uses it to steady himself, and wipes away tears of laughter with his other. "Apologise to her."

"_Apologise_?" James hisses. "_She kicked me_."

"But she _does_ have a boyfriend. Who is a beater," Sirius points out. "Actually, he's probably the best beater I've ever seen –"

"Yes, alright, thank you," James snaps.

"Try not to upset her again," Sirius' lips twitch with contained laughter. "Because she might give you a matching bruise on the other leg!" With that Sirius is off laughing again and James sulks off to the Great Hall by himself.

…

Lily's breathing is short and panicked as she hurries through the corridors to a small alcove where she hides herself. In the dark, Lily is able to close her eyes and count to ten whilst slowing her breathing. Her lips can still feel James' and all she really wants is to be in James' arms, kissing him like that again.

But of course that's not what she _really_ wants, Lily scolds herself firmly. It was a slip – an accident because Nathan had been annoying her. That's all. Wasn't it?

Lily feels like crawling into a small hole and dying quietly. There is no _way_ she can now face James Potter in Gryffindor Tower, or meetings, or lessons, or anything ever again. And she certainly isn't going to be able to meet Nathan's eye later on.

But no – she has to do something.

With a very heavy heart, Lily decides to tell Nathan she kissed James Potter in a secluded courtyard. She's shut off from her feelings now and is wondering why she doesn't feel as utterly sick at the thought or telling him as she should be. Lily walks numb steps to where she knows her boyfriend will be, and sure enough she finds him in the Transfiguration classroom surrounded by fangirls and his Quidditch team.

"Nathan," Lily takes a deep, shaky breath. Everyone looks at her. "I need to talk to you in private."

"Why?" Nathan is bored and disinterested, lounging on a stone bench in between his best friend, and a third year girl.

"I really need to tell you something. Please," Lily adds, holding out her hand to him but he laughs.

"Look, Lils, anything you want to say to me, just say it here."

He's becoming so infuriating that Lily just doesn't care anymore. She lets her hand fall to her side. "Fine," she says dangerously calmly. "I kissed James Potter."

Everyone gasps in unison and Lily could almost laugh at the reactions. Nathan jumps to his feet and Lily stares him dead in the eye.

"Lily? You're not serious are you?" Nathan's clinginess is back – Lily knows the façade of him pretending not to care is a ridiculous act.

"I am deadly serious," Lily replies flatly.

Nathan flails for words. Behind him, his team mates are trying to hide their laughter – they all knew Lily was far too good for him anyway.

"We can get through this, Lils," Nathan tries to plead in her ear quietly. "I'm not mad, I know he's nothing and he won't come between us."

Deadpan, Lily replies; "I don't want to get through it. Goodbye, Nathan."

As she starts to walk away, she can hear Nathan yelling behind her. "Don't walk away from this, Lily! You'll never get me back!" When that doesn't work, he goes for a different tactic; "fine! You were never any good anyway!"

Lily can't help it – she laughs and laughs as she walks further away. Breaking up with him feels so liberating and wonderful and she's so high off the feeling she wants to spin around and _sing_.

But she knows she needs to find James to apologise for kicking him. Lily looks at her watch; it's almost dinner time. She sets off at a half run towards the Great Hall when she skids into James in the Entrance Hall.

"Potter!"

"Evans?"

Without another word Lily throws her arms around his neck. He holds her tentatively.

"I don't want trouble with Nathan, Evans," he says coolly. "He's a pretty big bloke…"

"Oh shut up," Lily pulls away and she's grinning. "I'm not with him. I don't care about him."

James can hardly believe what he's hearing. "You … broke up?"

Lily nods happily. "James, this is our last year at this bloody castle together, and you drive me mad, but kissing you felt like the best thing in the world."

James' old confidence is returning with every word she says.

"Well now you mention it, kissing you wasn't so bad after all, Evans," he says with a cocky wink. "Would you like to pick up where we left off?"

Lily looks around and takes his hand, pulling him into an alcove further off down the corridor.

"Well this is cozy," James remarks with a grin, and he can just about make out Lily's features smiling back at him. He tilts her chin up with his first two fingers and wastes no more time in kissing her again.


End file.
